新奇事件簿 蜈蚣能吃掉体积比自己大15倍的动物

Centipedes are the kind of creatures that are not to be messed with. Their venom¹ packs a serious punch and can cause rapid paralysis² and death in insects and small animals. They have even been known to kill people with their highly venomous sting. Scientists have now discovered a deadly toxin³ in centipede venom that can shut down the hearts of animals that are 15 times bigger than them. The scientists isolated⁴ a toxin in the Chinese red-headed centipede. This beast can grow to roughly eight inches in length. The toxin in its venom blocks potassium from moving in and out of cells. This blocking of potassium prevents the brain from sending signals to the heart to beat, thus causing a rapid death.

蜈蚣是那种大家都不想掺和的生物。它们的毒液是危险的一击，能够导致昆虫和小型动物的迅速麻痹和死亡。它们毒刺含剧毒甚至能够致人死亡。科学家们现在已经在蜈蚣毒中发现了一种致命毒素，能够使体积是它们15倍的动物心脏停止跳动。科学家们将中国红头蜈蚣体内的一种毒素分离出来。这种动物能够长到约8英尺长。它们毒液中的毒素阻碍钾在细胞中脱离和进入。对钾的阻挡使大脑无法向心脏发送跳动信号，从而导致迅速死亡。

The venom is rarely fatal for humans, but it can cause agonizing⁵ pain and swelling⁶ for up to two weeks. The scientists have called it SSM Spooky Toxin. Researcher Shilong Yang, an expert in toxins⁷ at China's Kunming Institute of Zoology⁸, explained: "The "centipede's venom has evolved to simultaneously⁹ disrupt cardiovascular, respiratory, muscular and nervous systems. This molecular¹⁰ strategy has not been found in other venomous animals." Despite their name (centi is "hundred" in Latin and pedis is "foot"), centipedes do not have 100 legs. They have a varying number of legs, ranging from 30 to 354. Centipedes always have an odd number of pairs of legs. This means no centipede has exactly 100 legs.

这种毒液很少会致人死亡，但却能够引起长达两周的剧痛和肿胀。科学家们将这种毒液称为SSM 幽灵毒素。研究员杨仕隆，中国科学院昆明动物研究所专家，解释道：“蜈蚣的毒素已进化到能够同时中断心血管、呼吸道、肌肉及神经系统。这种分子策略在其他分泌毒液的动物中还未发现。”虽然它们的名字（厘是拉丁语“百”的意思，足是“脚”的意思），但蜈蚣的腿子并不是100只。它们腿子的数量各不相同，从30到354不等。蜈蚣腿子的对数都为奇数。这意味着没有哪只蜈蚣正好有100只腿。

1 venom   

n.毒液，恶毒，痛恨

参考例句：

• The snake injects the venom immediately after biting its prey.毒蛇咬住猎物之后马上注入毒液。
• In fact,some components of the venom may benefit human health.事实上，毒液的某些成分可能有益于人类健康。

2 paralysis   

n.麻痹(症)；瘫痪(症)

参考例句：

• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。
• The paralysis affects his right leg and he can only walk with difficulty.他右腿瘫痪步履维艰。

3 toxin   

n.毒素，毒质

参考例句：

• Experts have linked this condition to a build-up of toxins in the body.专家已把这一病症与体内毒素的积累联系起来。
• Tests showed increased levels of toxin in shellfish.检验表明水生有壳动物的毒素水平提高了。

4 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

5 agonizing   

adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式)

参考例句：

• I spent days agonizing over whether to take the job or not. 我用了好些天苦苦思考是否接受这个工作。
• his father's agonizing death 他父亲极度痛苦的死

6 swelling   

n.肿胀

参考例句：

• Use ice to reduce the swelling. 用冰敷消肿。
• There is a marked swelling of the lymph nodes. 淋巴结处有明显的肿块。

7 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 zoology   

n.动物学，生态

参考例句：

• I would like to brush up my zoology.我想重新温习一下动物学。
• The library didn't stock zoology textbooks.这家图书馆没有动物学教科书。

9 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

10 molecular   

adj.分子的；克分子的

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
• For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。